A Song to Remember
A Song to Remember is a 1945 Columbia Pictures Technicolor biographical film which tells a fictionalised life story of Polish pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin. Directed by Charles Vidor, the film stars Cornel Wilde (as Chopin), Merle Oberon (as George Sand), Paul Muni (as Józef Elsner), Stephen Bekassy (as Franz Liszt), and Nina Foch. Plot Chopin, played by Cornel Wilde, is first presented to the audience as a child prodigy playing a piece by Mozart. He suddenly starts to bang on the piano keys when he notices out the window that Polish people are being taken prisoners by the Russian authorities. Years later, Chopin takes part in secret meetings to work on saving Poland with his young friends. Director Vidor depicts patriotism as a major motive for Chopin playing the piano. Despite his family's apprehension, Chopin is egged on in his clandestine political activities by his devoted piano teacher, Professor Eisner. He attends a secret meeting instead of showing up on time for an important concert in front of a count and distinguished guests. When he finally performs at the concert, he stops playing when he sees the Russian Governor of Poland enter the room. Chopin stands up and announces, "I do not perform for Czarist butchers." He storms out of the room as his famous Revolutionary Étude starts in the background. The resulting scandal forces Chopin to flee to France, along with Professor Eisner. Before leaving for Paris, Chopin clutches Polish earth in his hands. When he arrives in Paris, he says: "I’m thinking of my people back home. You see, there was a purpose in coming to Paris." Eisner struggles to gain venues for his student, who he is certain is a genius. Just before the night of his crucial debut, Chopin is informed of the murder of his revolutionary friends in Poland by Russian police. The first work of Chopin's that is heard in Paris is his "Heroic" Polonaise, a song for Poland. A few musicians, including Franz Liszt, recognize his genius, but the concert does not secure his reputation in France, as Eisner had hoped. The appearance of George Sand, played by Merle Oberon, alters Chopin's life. An important and influential writer as well as a minor aristocrat, she has the money and connections to promote his fame. But instead of promoting Chopin as a concert pianist, Sand wants Chopin to remain alone with her, coddled at her estate and devoting himself solely to composition. During this period, Chopin writes his most famous works. Vidor portrays George Sand as a selfish, manipulative and domineering figure in Chopin's life, who seduces him and distracts him from his desire to serve the cause of Poland. While under her influence, Chopin snubs his old friend Eisner, who patiently waits for him to remember his duty to his people. A young woman whom Chopin knew in Poland arrives in Paris and presents Chopin with a tiny bag of Polish earth, awakening his sense of patriotism. By the end of the film, Chopin has finally reunited with Eisner and broken away from Sand so that he can embark on an international tour to raise money for the Polish cause. His playing is so passionate that in one of his concerts, Chopin starts bleeding. Finally, the strain of the tour destroys his fragile health and Chopin begs from his deathbed to see Sand once more, but she coldly spurns him. He succumbs to tuberculosis. Category:1945 films Category:Columbia Pictures films Category:Sony Pictures Entertainment Films